My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

down on a stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer some to anyone, a group of children was surrounding her and staring eagerly at the cake with

cake is so

making a ‘wait’ motion with her hand, she lifted a knife and a paper plate, preparing to cut

the side. “Today is Miss Rachel’s birthday. Before she treats you all to some

be a little girl in pigtails,

sing the

close her

blow out the

to indicate to Julian that there was no

candles and had the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

Miss Rachel. My mommy says you have to say it in your heart and not out loud, or the wish won’t come true,” a very

a little girl who wasn’t even at table height yet looking up at her with pretty,

children, clasped her hands and made a wish.

thank you!” their

raced off, dabbing icing on each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in

the streetlamp, Rachel finally smiled for the first time

me.” Walking her back to her apartment building, Julian continued, “The most important thing right now is to take care of your body

worry about me. I never wanted it, anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that point, Rachel’s expression was

“Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting colder lately, so make sure to keep

and headed

she was inside her apartment and about to

loud slam, the door was propped open by

made all the more grotesque by the centipede-like scar

on

into the house and shut the door before surveying the

“I see you’ve been getting

took two steps back.

her resentfully, he stalked toward her as he pulled off his

“I suppose you wouldn’t want me

her, forcing her back inch by

Rachel had no idea what she

pulled, she staggered